Brick siding

A car smashed into a Florida home Tuesday morning — and police say they’re pretty sure it wasn’t an accident.

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Brick siding can enhance the value of your home and improve its structural stability. Applying it can be tricky, however, especially for someone who has never done it before. Follow these steps to get great results.Start by removing any existing siding on the home. Generally speaking, taking off the old siding is easiest when you use a crowbar. After removing as much of it as possible, take off any portions that are held on by screws with an electric screwdriver. After the siding is completely removed, look for the protective covering that is usually under the siding. This sheeting provides protection for the house’s structure against water. Because of its purpose, it is extremely important that you carefully inspect every inch of this material for damage. If there is any damage to the material, it will need to be replaced before going on to the next step.If the material is fine, begin applying construction adhesive. To do this, apply one piece of adhesive to one piece of siding along the bottom of the panel you want to start work on. Since the adhesive dries quickly, it is important to only apply one piece at a time.If you’re working with brick sheets, apply one sheet of siding at a time. Be sure to line up the sheets with each other, since uneven work can make the siding look odd. Once properly placed, use galvanized screws to secure each panel to the wall. At each corner, take two sheets of brick panel and use a saw to cut the sides off at 45 degree angles. Line up these sheets so that the cut edges line up at the corner of the walls. If you are working with actual bricks, you will need to lay them as if you were building a wall. Lay the bricks in the first row with a small amount of space in between them, then use mortar to fill in the gaps. Apply about a quarter inch of mortar to the top layer of bricks, then lay bricks for the next row. Continue to work in this pattern until the brick siding is completed.Once all of the bricks have been laid or the brick panels have been installed, look carefully for any gaps. These are most common around windows, doors, and along the roof line. Use caulk that matches the color of the bricks to fill in these gaps. This will prevent moisture from getting in between the wall and the siding.

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Sarah has spent four years as a resident of New Mexico and a freelance writer specializing in personal finance. In addition to writing over 2,000 articles about retirement, saving for college, paying off credit card debt, and a lot more, she also runs her own website dedicated to helping people who can't count on getting a regular monthly paycheck. Check it out at http://www.lifewithoutasalary.com

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